News

Volume 3 Issue 3 - February 01, 2005

Prime Minister issues an order to adhere to 3% reservation for disabled persons in the Civil Service

In a landmark order, the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, has opened the higher civil services of the country – ‘non-technical’ Group A and Group B services – to physically disabled people. According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), an order has been issued to reserve 3 per cent seats for the Civil Service Examination (CSE) of 2005-06.

The Ministries controlling the other central services, like Indian Police Service, Indian Foreign Service and Indian Forest Service have also been asked to examine the applicability of the Persons with Disability Act, 1995 and reservation of 3 per cent in these respective services for the ‘physically disabled’. They have been asked to report to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet within three months.

The first person to benefit from this order has been M. Satish, a physically disabled candidate belonging to a Scheduled Caste, who had qualified in the Civil Services Examination, 2002, for the Indian Revenue Service (IRS). Dr. Manmohan Singh has approved his appointment. Satish had made a representation to the Government of India in September 2003 stating that while he had been ranked 249 in the CSE 2002, and had qualified for IRS, he had not been allocated any post/service because of his physical disability.

The Government had failed at that time to take any action. On October 13, 2004, Satish represented once again to the Prime Minister. Dr. Manmohan Singh ordered an immediate enquiry into the case and, after due examination of the case, the Government of India has now cleared his immediate allocation to the Indian Revenue Service. He has been directed to join the training course already in progress. The Department of Revenue has been directed to identify a suitable post for him before the completion of his training course.